Appliqued Baby Projects

I find myself drawn to baby projects lately –I’m a mama of an 8 month old - and because they are typically smaller and simpler than other patterns.  Each of these projects can easily be completed in an afternoon.   My items were inspired by Heidi Grace’s A Little Bird’s Tale line of scrapbook products, but you might find the perfect motif in a nursery theme or children’s book.

I am new to the art of sewing, but I find that having the right tools on hand makes the job so much easier.  I love my 12-in-1 sewing multi tool – having it around means that I have all the tools I need within reach – especially the seam ripper!  And my Titanium Nitride No 5 Spring Action MicroTip Scissors make super clean cuts, even in the smallest detail work – perfect for cutting out the shapes in these projects.

This appliquéd onesie is a project that goes together in no time.  I was a little nervous about keeping my small bird shape flat on the stretchy knit onesie while I sewed around the curves, so I cut a rectangle of brown polka dotted fabric with my Fiskars Soft Grip Pinking Shears to act as a base.  I machine stitched the brown fabric to the onesie, and then added the small blue bird body.  Once I had stitched the bird in place, I added the legs, beak and eye with more stitching.

This fabric block is where that seam ripper from the 12-in-1 tool really came in handy. ;)  I used my Fiskars ComfortGrip Rotary Trimmer to cut out 6.5in squares of 6 different fabrics. I appliquéd a shape on each side before assembling it into the block, adding some extra stitched details to provide texture for curious little fingers. This block will be a fun way to teach colors and shapes to my little guy, and I even stitched his name on one side for a little personalization. For the actual construction, I did a web search and came up with several awesome tutorials for making fabric blocks – but I still managed to sew some wrong edges together.   My trusty seam ripper saved me and I eventually got all of the right edges matched up and sewn correctly.

This 18x18in quilt makes the perfect wall hanging for a nursery.  I used the same cute bird motif as in the other projects, but was able to add more detail since he’s so much bigger. My Titanium Nitride No 5 Spring Action MicroTip Scissors made cutting out all of the pieces a breeze.  I quilted the back layer, batting and top layer together before doing any of the appliqué work. You could make this project smaller to make a sign for baby’s door, or make it bigger and use it as a crib quilt.

Why not treat the little ones in your life to a beautiful handmade gift?  These simple projects were all dressed up with appliqués and would be a welcome addition in any nursery.  Don’t worry if they don’t turn out perfect – those little imperfections are part of the charm of something that is handmade with love.

By Lisa Truesdell